As far as I can tell, there's not really an analogous expression for "practice" in the Pali Canon and in translations of suttas, you don't hear anyone mentioning their "practice" or the "practice" of others.

So, I thought it might be worth clarifying and discussing... what does "practice" mean to you?

Good point; that you never see the term 'practice' and it seems to be a modern interpretation / translation.

For me practice is anytime we focus on mindfulness and concentration. Practice can be in the sitting meditation position or any other time when we notice or focus on mindfulness, concentration, or become consciously aware of our intentions toward the brahma viharas or paramitas.

[i] "There is the case where a monk generates desire, endeavors, activates persistence, upholds & exerts his intent for the sake of the non-arising of evil, unskillful qualities that have not yet arisen.

[ii] "He generates desire, endeavors, activates persistence, upholds & exerts his intent for the sake of the abandonment of evil, unskillful qualities that have arisen.

[iii] "He generates desire, endeavors, activates persistence, upholds & exerts his intent for the sake of the arising of skillful qualities that have not yet arisen.

Well, when I use the word "practice," I really mean the whole enchilada, everything we do to apply the Buddha's teachings in our life. Personally I don't find it useful to apply the term "practice" just to meditation practice, because all the things I do off the cushion -- talking, working, eating, etc. -- influence what occurs on the cushion. So if I don't regard all the off-cushion time as part of "practice," then I'm not being realistic.

I guess I do make a distinction between those times when I have "situational awareness," and those times when I'm more or less obliviously plodding along or even willfully ignorant. The former I regard as "practice," the latter I regard as goofing off. Like now, for example, as I type, I regard this as "practice," because I'm trying to apply the Buddha's teachings in terms of right speech, right effort, etc. But if I'm driving a car in busy traffic and get angry at a slow driver and act on it by honking the horn in a punitive manner (yeah, it happens sometimes, hate to admit), then I don't regard that as "practice." But the moment I become aware that I'm getting angry in slow traffic, for example, the moment I choose to apply the teachings in the moment, whatever is occuring, I regard that as "practice."

I regard "practice" as any time I am directly engaged in any aspect of the noble 8fold path. I like to think I'm practicing all the time, but I know better. There are times when I'm going in the opposite direction. I don't regard those times as "practice."

I have no specific scriptural support for any of this that I can cite (though Peter's citation is great). I might be completely wrong about how I apply the term "practice." But personally, that's how I use the term, now that you ask. Thanks for asking.

Rain soddens what is kept wrapped up,But never soddens what is open;Uncover, then, what is concealed,Lest it be soddened by the rain.

retrofuturist wrote:As far as I can tell, there's not really an analogous expression for "practice" in the Pali Canon and in translations of suttas, you don't hear anyone mentioning their "practice" or the "practice" of others.

I think that word for "practice" in Pāli is "bhāvāna", and "to practice" is "bhāveti". But usually translators pick out another word, for example "to develop", "keep in being", etc.

...to lead a practical buddhist way of life, one must essentially develop Moral Discipline (Sila), Concentration (Samadhi) and Wisdom (Panna). There are three other simple methods to practice Buddhism. They are: Dana, Sila and Bhavana.

i'm not the intellectual type. to a practical person like me, "practice" in the Buddhist context means learning to apply Buddhist teachings in one's daily life. for my case, my practice is learning the abovementioned Dana, Sila and Bhavana.

keepit simple, stupid~ my lifehack

keeping it simply said: 'i'm learning from Buddha to be wise and kind'

He who knows only his own side of the case knows little of that. His reasons may be good, and no one may have been able to refute them. But if he is equally unable to refute the reasons on the opposite side, if he does not so much as know what they are, he has no ground for preferring either opinion … ...He must be able to hear them from persons who actually believe them … he must know them in their most plausible and persuasive form.John Stuart Mill

What I mean when I use the word 'practice' is, dana, sila, bhavana and pariyatti. But usually whenever I am discussing issues of my own practice it ususally centres on my meditation 'practice'.Kind regards

Ben

“No lists of things to be done. The day providential to itself. The hour. There is no later. This is later. All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in grief and ashes.” - Cormac McCarthy, The Road

Learn this from the waters:in mountain clefts and chasms,loud gush the streamlets,but great rivers flow silently.- Sutta Nipata 3.725

piotr, I was just going to post the same thing. I agree that the scriptures talk of "bhavana" or "developing the path" seems analogous to when we here say "practice". Also when people talk of their "teacher and training" or "dhamma and discipline".

dictionary wrote:practice: the actual application or use of an idea, belief, or method as opposed to theories about such application or use

Great topic. Practice for me has meant to try and live in tune with the dhamma, the teachings of the Buddha, living the 8 fold path, coming to understand and then apply what Buddha taught. Meditation "practice" is one key, crucial component of that, as is mindfulness, right effort, right speech, etc. We have opportunities to practice with each breath we take.

Does seem that only with practice does understanding deepen, go from intellectual understanding to skillful behavior and eventually (we hope) unfolding as realization.

From practicing the dhamma to living the dhamma?

I dunno.

"As Buddhists, we should aim to develop relationships that are not predominated by grasping and clinging. Our relationships should be characterised by the brahmaviharas of metta (loving kindness), mudita (sympathetic joy), karuna (compassion), and upekkha (equanimity)."~post by Ben, Jul 02, 2009

"For a disciple who has conviction in the Teacher's message & lives to penetrate it, what accords with the Dhamma is this:'The Blessed One is the Teacher, I am a disciple. He is the one who knows, not I." - MN. 70 Kitagiri Sutta